Deli Sandwiches

Deli sandwiches are healthy and tasty ways to fill up. They can range from simple sandwiches to your half-foot and foot-long sandwiches. My inspiration for this post is on sub sandwiches from Subway or Quiznos. However, you know I have to cover multiple bases. There are some deli sandwiches that aren't like the long sandwiches that inspired this post. Some deli sandwiches can just be some basic loaf of bread sandwiches or even sandwich wraps. Whatever the case, this blog post is a look at deli sandwiches of many kinds from various delicatessens.

--- Deli Sandwiches ---

You don't have to be Jared Fogle to know how healthy and filling deli sandwiches can be. Jared Fogle has become an icon for going on Subway sandwiches and exercise to go from big to slim. The appeal of deli sandwiches is that they are healthy and filling sandwiches to eat. Going beyond what a plain sandwich is like, most deli sandwiches are made on a number of different breads and with a variety of different ingredients. Different styles of bread and certain items added to deli sandwiches can help make for a tasty experience once a proper deli sandwich is complete.

Sub Sandwiches.

^ from: blogchef.net - Feel free to dig into a sub sandwich! Restaurants may allow you full control over what you want on your sub sandwich.

Submarine sandwiches, or better known as sub sandwiches, are among the most popular deli sandwiches. They are also called hoagies or grinders (according to Wikipedia). When going to a deli or deli restaurant (such as Subway), you usually have control over what kind of sandwich you want made for you. A sandwich usually begins with whatever kind of bread you want. Certain breads can be pretty good for your health. I found wheat bread to be good for you. At some deli restaurants, you have some options like white bread, wheat bread, jalepeño bread, Italian herb bread, and other options depending on what the deli offers. Many delis give you control over what kind of ingredients you want on it. Personally, I usually don't have deli sandwiches with tomatoes or onions- just my own preference. For those who are not lactose intolerant, there are many different cheese choices including American cheese, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, and other cheeses like that. Dressing is also offered. I tend to prefer my sandwiches to have mayonnaise and mustard- especially honey mustard. But sometimes, I even like deli mustard. Some mustard can be a bit strong, so I usually avoid these.

For myself, personally, I like a combination of Subway and Quiznos. I usually would get a Cold Cut Combo from Subway. Some of the sandwiches I usually have from Subway these days is usually something with chicken. So I would nowadays have a Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt. The combination of chicken and bacon is a delicious combination. To keep the sandwich fresh, I even prefer a toasted Subway sandwich. From Quiznos, I become enamored with the Mesquite Chicken. It is a delicious and tasty sandwich to have with chicken and bacon along with some tasty mayo and mustard. I think Quiznos offered (or do they?) a Honey Mustard Chicken sandwich that was also good. I usually prefer not to have tomatoes or onions on my sub sandwiches. I certainly want mayo and mustard. I usually like honey mustard. How do you like your sub sandwich?

The sub sandwich has multiple origins but is otherwise American to the core. If you want to learn more about sub sandwiches, visit this Wikipedia page: "Submarine Sandwich" - Wikipedia.

Other Deli Sandwiches.

^ from: www.jhdeli.com - Short deli sandwiches can be just as tasty and as enjoyable as any sub sandwich.

What if you want a deli sandwich that isn't long? No problem! Some restaurants (and even some grocery stores) offer short deli sandwiches that are still much more delicious than your average homemade sandwich. Many of these sandwiches are made with basic loaves of bread and dressed up with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, any variety of meats, any variety of cheeses, various dressings, and more. Some simple deli sandwiches even are made on toasted bread, Ciabatta bread, and other breads.

Two different deli-style sandwiches I've had before are panini sandwiches and muffulettas. Back in my community college days, the deli across the street of Houston Community College - Southeast (represent! :D) once offered a Grilled Chicken Romano Panini. It was delicious! My parents have even made some panini sandwiches before for us and our family.

Some grocery stores offer deli sandwiches if you don't fancy going to any proper delicatessens. They are all ready-made and available for you to enjoy at home. Some grocery stores even offer party packs complete with many small sandwiches and other party favors. For my own American audience, you can visit places like a Kroger, the grocery sections of Wal-Mart and Target stores, and places like that to enjoy deli sandwiches from grocery stores and grocery sections of major retailers.

Other Items to Go Along With Deli Sandwiches.

While you're enjoying a deli sandwich, what else is there to enjoy with a deli sandwich? The most common other food item is usually potato chips. Some people even have themselves a cookie or maybe some iced tea to go with a deli sandwich. I usually have chips and sometimes a pickle.

--- Deli Sandwiches Online ---

So do you want your own deli sandwiches? Maybe you want to make your own deli sandwiches? Allow me to help by providing these links. Most of these links are mostly meant for my American audience, but some may have international sites. So please have a look around!

Delis and Deli Sandwiches.

• SUBWAY Restaurants
• Quiznos Sandwich Restaurants
• Jason's Deli « mostly Texas-based chain of deli restaurants, but other locations around America
• Schlotzsky's « Texas-based deli chain.
• Panera Bread
• McAlister's Deli

Deli Sandwich Recipes.

• How to Make a GREAT Deli Sandwich - Squidoo
• Deli Sandwiches - Delicious Sandwich Recipes from AlansKitchen.com
• Top 20 Deli Sandwiches - Delicious Sandwich Recipes from Alanskitchen.com
• Cold Sandwich Recipes - about.com

Jared Fogle's SUBWAY Diet (Honorable Mention!).

Here is something you can read since I mentioned Jared Fogle earlier. Learn more about his radical diet routine... on SUBWAY sandwiches!

• Jared's Journey


If you want to recommend me any more non-suspicious, non-spam links to service my readers, please contact me via E-Mail or post on my Facebook fan page. You may contact me using the information towards the end of this post.





I hope you enjoyed this blog post as much as I enjoyed researching and putting it all together. I really hope you have enjoyed my work. How do you like deli sandwiches? Do you have any favorites? Don't spam me or send me any suspicious comments- just comment properly. Thank you for reading!

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Salad

For many people, nothing beats a traditional salad. Having lots of lettuce, tomatoes, and things like that help make a usual salad. Some people usually add all sort of condiments and other items. For me, I would take a usual salad and add things like chicken breast pieces and add some shredded cheese and some buttermilk ranch dressing. Other people would add things like raisins, carrot slices, bacon bits, and other items to their own salads.

No matter how you dress up a salad, at least you know you're eating something healthy and light. Only thing I'd be careful of is making sure you're eating healthy salad. Just be sure the greens and fresh vegetables are clean and doesn't have any sort of contaminants in them. You can either buy salad from a grocery store and improvise with your own items, or you could always buy salad from a restaurant. You're still getting yourself something healthy and light.


Here's a picture to set the mood:


^ from: life123.com - This blog post concerns traditional salad.

How I Like Salad.

These are usually things that I prefer when having a salad:

• ranch dressing (buttermilk is my favorite)
• shredded cheese
• grilled chicken breast strips or chunks

So you can say I prefer a tasty chicken salad. Not that I know any health benefits of such salad, but it's a healthy fill-up for me. How do you like your salad?

Salad Resources.

Here are some online resources for you to make your own salad or for salad recipes:

• Salad Recipes on Allrecipes.com
• Simply Recipes - Salad
• Salads - Taste of Home Recipes


More links may be provided in any possible edits. I want to properly service all of my readers and visitors properly.





Do you like salad? How do your like your salad? Be sure to share your ideas and your thoughts in this post or in any of my others. Thank you for reading!

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Pizza

Who doesn't love a good pizza? Taking a bunch of dough to make a circular disc of bread topped with all sorts of goodies makes for one delicious meal. This is usually enjoyed either at home or at various functions. There are so many ways to top pizza with all sorts of toppings, herbs, and more for that deliciously satisfying experience. Go easy on the toppings (like I do)... or pile on as much as you like- it's YOUR pizza. This blog post is another Food and Drink post regarding that delicious pizza pie. I'll try not to get you hungry thinking about this topic. :)

--- Pizza at a Glance ---

(NOTE: Some information on this topic provided from searching on Wikipedia.)


^ from: free-extras.com - Who doesn't love a good pizza pie?

The origins of pizza dates all the way back to the ancient Greeks, who covered bread with oils, herbs, and cheese. Modern pizza, however, originated in Italy with the Neapolitan pie. They added cheese to it in 1889. Before the Italians popularized the pizza we know and love today, countless other cultures in Europe and the Middle East have come along with their own offerings for pizza.

More on pizza from Wikipedia can be found here: Wikipedia entry on pizza. A more in-depth look at the history of pizza can read at Wikipedia's article on the history of pizza.

Most pizzas are usually shared among family, friends, groups, and more. It's a great-tasting way to bring people together. Some may just enjoy pizza for dinner, after a group function, for movie night, parties, and more. You may even see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles chow down on some pizza pie while battling evil.

No matter what the occasion or how you top it, there is nothing like pizza. It is a food best enjoyed with others. So go ahead and slice up and share that pizza- there's plenty to enjoy for everyone ranging from two people to a whole group!

--- How Do You Like Your Pizza Pie? ---

Whether you prefer restaurant pizza or store-bought pizza, there are many styles of pizza for many who want that great-tasting disc of bread with all kinds of toppings. The most common and basic pizza is your usual pepperoni and cheese pizza. There are some who prefer pizza with loads of cheese toppings. Some even fancy hamburger pizza. For those who love their pizza with meat, some will have pizza with different kinds of meat. The more vegetable-friendly kinds have their pizza with various vegetables and fruits as toppings.

Store Pizza.

Pizza you can buy in the frozen foods sections can be prepared in an oven or stove. Some can even be prepared in a microwave. Everything is all pre-made. All you have to do is warm it up and cut slices. Some pizzas are small and can easily be prepared. In addition, there are always pizza pockets, which offer all the rich taste of pizza in small, breaded pieces.

Some stores even offer pepperoni separately so you can make your own pizza. You can even buy or prepare some dough to help create your dream pizza.

Restaurant Pizza.

The best thing about restaurant pizza is how much control over what you want topped on your pizza. If a restaurant offers pizza in a certain way that you can customize, feel free to order a pizza to have whatever toppings you want. Some of the most popular pizza chains in the United States include Domino's Pizza, Pizza Hut, Papa John's, and Cici's Pizza. One other pizza chain that you don't hear much about (but still exists) these days is Little Caesars.

Italian Pizza (or Margherita Pizza).

I'll need the help of my Italian readers to help me with this part. Either you all, or my friend Gabriella of "Principessa Gabriella." I think I remember watching a TV show once about Italian pizza. Authentic Italian pizza is MUCH different from the pizza we all are used to in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Italian pizza is much less fancy-looking. Instead, it is a fairly simple-looking pizza that still delivers great taste... not to say I've had an authentic Italian pizza. I'm so used to American pizza that I don't know what Italian pizza is like. But again, I am not as educated on authentic Italian pizza to explain it here.

Foods to Go Along With Pizza.

Many pizza chains let you purchase other items to help sweeten the experience. Among others: soda, chicken wings, breadsticks, cinnamon bread sticks (with or without icing), pasta, and more. This helps you to enjoy pizza long after you're done with your pizza. In case you're wondering... I did get myself a bit hungry for cinnamon bread sticks with icing (like what you get with Dominos Pizza). I even get myself hungry sometimes preparing these Food and Drink posts! :D


No matter how you like your pizza, at least you know and love that magical disc of bread that makes for a great pizza.

--- How Do I Like My Pizza Pie? ---

Most of the time, I prefer a basic pepperoni and cheese pizza. What I go for depends on what a restaurant offers. I think I've prepared a few store-bought pizzas in an oven before.

My Dream Pizza.

This would be my dream pizza... whether healthy for me or not:

• cheesy stuffed crust
• cheese
• pepperoni
• chicken (maybe barbeque chicken)

And if I could have certain sauce or something to go with it, definitely garlic sauce from Papa John's. That stuff goes great for dipping pizza into for a great taste. Cinnamon bread sticks with icing would be a sweet way to finish off my pizza-eating experience.

--- Pizza Resources ---

These are various links to help you with pizza. More links may be provided in future edits.

Pizza Chains.

Here are places to order pizza online. These are mostly American pizza chains. You can order pizza online from these sites. Most of these offer more than just pizza, and some of these have international sites. So for example, one pizza chain may have its own site for your specific nation if you aren't from the United States. So have a look around and enjoy pizza:

• Dominos Pizza
• Pizza Hut (site also offered in other countries)
• Papa John's
• Cici's Pizza
• Little Caesars

• Sbarro
• Spanky's Pizza and Italiano (Houston area)
• Empire Cafe (Houston area) - offers gourmet pizza

Pizza Recipes.

Make your own pizza by checking out these resources:

• Pizza Recipes on allrecipes.com
• Pizza Recipe
• Pizza Recipes
• Pizza Recipes on epicurious.com
• a recipe on authentic Italian pizza from Forno Bravo

Making Pizza for Cheap.

I want you to know that I prepare a blog post on the show you are about to see below. If you are wanting to make your own pizza on the cheap, Live Well Network show, "Deals" once aired a segment on how to make pizza for cheap. Host Katishia Cosley (or Kat Cosley) did this segment on how to make pizza for cheap. Save dough while making your own pizza pie. This link includes an article and a video featuring the beautiful Kat Cosley. Here you go:

"Pizza 101," as shown on Deals

And just to say again, I may prepare a blog post for "John's Blog Space" regarding a review of "Deals." So make sure to keep reading John's Blog Space! Remember that I may include more links in any future edits I may make.





No matter how you like your pizza, at least you're fond of something that tastes great and brings together people like no other food. How do you like pizza? What's the best pizza you've had? Please feel free to share your comments. More than ever, thank you for reading!

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Would You Like Some Dessert?

You enjoyed your lunch or dinner. Would you like dessert? This blog post is a lighthearted topic for those of you who love a good eat. As you know, nothing makes a meal better than having some tasty dessert (if dessert is offered). You sometimes want dessert. Some other times, you don't even want to be tempted with dessert. How do you handle yourself in situations like this? It's rare I ask a question like this about any issues that aren't related to critical life issues. However, I want to know what you think on this.

--- Would You Like Some Dessert? ---

^ from: healthkicker.com, by way of xanga.com - Sweet endings to meals... would YOU like some dessert?

Why do restaurants offer dessert? Simple- they love you and enjoy your company. The offering of dessert is like a way to sweeten your eating experience. For most proper restaurants and eateries, this is like a way of saying "thank you" for eating at a certain eatery. Some places offer dessert for you to pick up as part of your meal (like buffet-type places). Some others ask if you want dessert. Most restaurants usually give people an idea of what dessert is offered as waiters/waitresses let you in on what is offered. It is the same reason why certain hotels and restaurants offer you mint chocolate and peppermint as you leave.

To me, I don't care much for dessert unless I want a sweet ending to a good meal. Whatever sweet offerings depend on how I'm feeling and what I feel like eating. A sweet ending for me would be some vanilla ice cream or a vanilla shake. I sometimes even enjoy some sweets or frozen cake as a sweet ending to a good meal. Some sweet endings to meals aren't exactly sweets, though. For instance, I love good hot apple pie from certain fast food restaurants.

I think we all are tempted to try dessert from places that offer dessert. This temptation to sweeten our eating with a sweet ending confounds some of us. It is the way we end our good eats. Much like every story is about an introduction, the body, and the conclusion; eating out is all about this combination: appetizer, main course, and the dessert. I think you should go for dessert if you want to finish your experience off right. Either that, or if you have enough money to get some dessert to complete your eating experience.





That's how I feel. I actually kind of thought of this blog post when I'm with my family eating out sometimes. So tell me (don't be shy!)- do you go for dessert? Are there certain times where you want dessert? Hope you enjoy this blog post! Thank you for reading!

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My Favorite Houston/Galveston Eateries

(UPDATED: May 16, 2012)

The Houston/Galveston area has some lovely places to eat at. So for this blog post, I'll share with you some of my favorite places to eat at around here. They are all based on places I've eaten at before and like. So feel free to have a look at some of the many different places I've eaten at and will make reference to.

A Preface Before I Begin...

It is important that I provide local flavor to my blog despite the national and international blog hits I get. Perhaps these are places you can visit and eat at if you are visiting the Houston/Galveston area. I am not trying to say that I know Houston inside and out. However, I do want to show that Houston is a much better place than most people make it out to be. We are not the fourth-largest city in the United States with hundreds of cultures and nationalities represented by asking nicely. We are a world-class city even if not up to New York City or Los Angeles standards. We are a diverse people in a wonderful city. Hopefully, some of the locations mentioned here, both local and national, will help shed some light on what makes Houston such a great city. This, speaking as a Houston native.

Alright. Enough words- more eats! :D


^ One place I will mention in this blog post is where I got this massive loaded baked potato from. What place is it? Find out in this blog post!

--- Houston/Galveston Eating Favorites ---

All of the following include local eateries as well as (maybe) national chains here in Houston. It also contains some other places offering good food and/or things to eat. You can visit its homepage or some other sort of page if you see a header with a hypertext link with it. All of my material is based on places I've actually been to and eaten at. If I haven't been there and/or didn't like the food or the place, I won't mention it here.

The establishments mentioned are not listed in any specific order. I am not paid to discuss any of these establishments in the way that I do. Everything is entirely my opinion. Some facts on certain featured places came from the places' official websites or from any Wikipedia reading. I chose not to display pictures of the restaurants because I want to surprise people with my picks.

Dot Coffee Shop (Facebook Fan Page link).

Dot Coffee Shop is a great place to have breakfast either with family, friends, groups, sports teams, or whatever. My parents and I used to go to this place not very often on Saturdays. What I would usually get is either the Grand Prix or the Paris Grand Prix. One time at Dot's, I was REALLY hungry that I actually finished off the Paris Grand Prix breakfast! I think the Grand Prix and Paris Grand Prix consists of two or three stacks of pancakes, some delicious bacon, and... not sure what else. It's been so long since going there for me.

James Coney Island.

James Coney Island has been a long-standing Houston restaurant chain since 1923. They specialize in tasty and delicious hot dogs and coneys. I would often get either some corn dogs or a Texas-style jalepeño dog (only without onions). JCI was a common place for me when I went to Houston Community College-Southeast Campus. The people there were fun and friendly. Missed being around them.

Schlotzsky's.

Besides James Coney Island, Schlotzsky's is another fine restaurant. This chain headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA specializes in delicious deli sandwiches. I would sometimes go to Schlotzsky's after class from HCC-Southeast to go to the Schlotzsky's across the street. A very friendly South Korean woman would often greet me as I entered. The best thing I've had at Schlotzsky's was the Grilled Chicken Romano Panini. It was offered for a limited time, but it was a GREAT-tasting sandwich.

Shipley Do-nuts.

Shipley's is a good way to start your day. I usually like their glazed donuts and their juicy sausage kolaches. They're a good way to start the day. Sometimes, I even pick up a little bottle of orange juice to get me going for the day. Shipley Donuts has been a Houston institution that's been around since 1936.

Jason's Deli.

I have only been to one(?) Jason's Deli before- the store in Rice Village. It is a place where you can enjoy some tasty deli sandwiches. Maybe you can get yourself some good chips and salads. But regardless, I am a fan of Jason's Deli. There are other locations across Texas as well as MANY more across the United States.

Luby's Cafeteria.

No matter which one you go to, expect great fresh food. It is a great place to go to when you want fresh food for your family or for whatever group you are with. My family has been to Luby's restaurants since childhood for me. I usually get their fish fillets, some mashed potatoes with country gravy, macaroni and cheese, and sometimes either fried okra and/or a roll. Good eating guaranteed at Luby's! This chain of restaurants services mostly the Mid-South with locations here in Texas and Oklahoma, as well as Arkansas.

Kelley's Country Cooking.

Kelley's is just good old down-home eating. With a number of restaurants in and around Houston, this is a great place to either eat at or order to go. I usually go with their big chicken strips with country gravy. It's the kind of place where a local sports team can enjoy a good meal after a game at. Just down home goodness.

Central Texas Style BBQ.

Pearland is home to Central Texas Style BBQ. They've been around since 1969 and hasI know them best for their super-loaded baked potatoes. That's what I usually get. You can get baked potatoes loaded with butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon, chives, and your choice of meats. Trust me- a full baked potato with either beef or chicken (I prefer chicken) will fill you up. Can't take a full baked potato from Central Texas Style BBQ? You can order a half-size baked potato with your choice of trimmings or meat. Texas is best known for barbeque (which is basically its own sport down here), and this is one place that surely specializes in quality barbeque.

Fuddruckers.

The World's Greatest Hamburger is what Fuddruckers pursues. This national chain was founded in San Antonio, TX, USA in 1979 and headquartered here in Houston. I've loved going to Fuddruckers especially in my younger teen times. I would usually enjoy a delicious burger from them and then go play some arcade games.

Floyd's Cajun Seafood.

The goal of Floyd's Cajun Seafood is to bring Cajun-style cooking to Texas. This place does NOT disappoint. Floyd's specializes in Cajun seafood and Texas steaks. You can enjoy sports games on the TV units while also enjoying a good meal. I am most used to the location in Pearland, and I am most used to having fried pickles with ranch dressing as an appetizer. It's a great place to check out. Besides Pearland, there are two other Floyd's restaurants in Texas in Webster and in Beaumont.

Froberg's Farm and Greak's Smokehouse.

Froberg is a big name in Alvin. About as big a name in Alvin as a very famous (understatement) pitcher named Nolan Ryan. Neither Froberg's Farms nor Greak's Smokehouse are a sit-down-and-eat places, but especially Greak's Smokehouse features some of THE best sausage I've EVER tasted. The sausage from Greak's Smokehouse is tasty. When you eat into one of their sausages, my favorite is the one that has cheese in them, providing great-tasting sausage. As for Froberg's Farm, fresh quality foods and produce are available from them.




But, wait... there's more! Read on after the Jump Break to find out about more favorite eating locations of mine! Or disregard this paragraph if you are reading the full post.

Monterey's.

Monterey's is the number one Mexican restaurant to my family. Since the Almeda Mall-area restaurant shut down years ago, we've missed the food Monterey's provides. The only ones I've known of that are still around are the locations not far from Pasadena Town Square and the one near downtown Alvin (or in downtown Alvin?).

Casa Olé.

Casa Olé... fresh to-day... Ev-ery day... Casa Olé! Casa Olé has been a Texas tradition since 1973, when the first store opened in Pasadena, TX, USA. Houston's first Casa Olé was opened in 1976. Today's Casa Olé features restaurants across Texas, in Oklahoma, and in Louisiana. My favorite meal from Casa Olé is spinach-stuffed chicken. It is a GREAT and healthy eat from Casa Olé.

Taco Cabana.

Taco Cabana is a chain of Mexican restaurants that has been around since 1978. The first one opened in San Antonio, TX, USA; and it has since served all of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. What I usually get are chicken quesadillas from Taco Cabana. I did once try their chicken flautas and thought they taste great. It's a nice place to go to if you just want some good Mexican food in the restaurant or to go.

Genghis Grill.

One of the most unique restaurants I've ever been to was Genghis Grill in Webster, Texas, USA. Genghis Grill is a restaurant serving up Mongolian cuisine. You are given these cool-looking bowls that you fix up yourself with various items. Pick up a card that lets you in on the various combinations you can put into your bowl. Once you prepare your bowl, the chefs will prepare your meal proper. All you do then is... dig in! It was a great eating experience for this national chain based in Dallas, TX, USA.

And yes, in case you're wondering... it IS the same Genghis as in the great Genghis Khan of 12th Century A.D.!



Most of the rest of this post includes cafés.

Empire Cafe.

With only one visit long ago (that I remember), Empire Cafe is a café serving up some delicious European food and some good drinks. My brother keeps telling me about their currant tea. I actually want to try their currant tea one day if I were to ever visit Empire Cafe again.

Cheddar's Casual Café.

Cheddar's is a great place to enjoy a good meal. The location I've been to most often is the Cheddar's next to Fry's in Webster, TX across the street from Fry's. I've been to this location for a good eat, but also for dinner the night before my brother's wedding as well as lunch after getting my Associate's in the Arts degree. I am big on chicken, and both their Hawaiian Chicken sandwich and World Class Chicken sandwich are just great to eat. There's even a cool-looking fan system inside the main eating area. There is also a classy sports bar, a nice aquarium, and a good selection of wine and champagne. I have only been to the Webster location, and it is a must-visit location for anything ranging from casual lunch/dinner to any formal-type lunch/dinner.

5115 Restaurant and Lounge.

This was a grill I once attended on a hot Saturday night. 5115 Restaurant and Lounge is a place kind of tucked away from the Saks Fifth Avenue store at the Houston Galleria shopping mall. It is accessible from the second floor of the Saks Fifth Avenue store.

Grand Lux Cafe.

With a number of locations across the United States, the Grand Lux Cafe just outside of the Houston Galleria shopping mall was a place I visited only once. That one visit, however, was a great one. Grand Lux Cafe is a fabulous-looking establishment. And since you're only a short distance from the Galleria shopping mall, you know that you're in Money Town here in Houston. The Grand Lux Cafe I've been to here in Houston is absolutely lavish and beautiful. The wait for your food is sufficient and adequate. The food was of great quality when I went there back in 2008 or so.


Finally, Honorable Mention...

Café Japon (Honorable Mention!).

I pay tribute to Japon, which was the first place where I had eaten sushi rolls before. In Rice Village here in Houston, my brother took me to a place called Café Japon some 10 or 13 years ago. There used to be a Planet Animé store (a great place to find loads of Japanese music and loads of animé goods) and a Café Japon across the street. The kitchen was built around where you eat at. You would see the chefs prepare sushi for you. You picked up your chopsticks and enjoyed your sushi. It was a great place to enjoy sushi rolls. These days, I either go to certain dedicated Asian restaurants that serve sushi rolls or just buy some sushi roll packs from grocery stores.

JUST SO YOU KNOW... I do want to blog about sushi rolls in the future. I had planned a post long ago, but never released it.

--- If I Mentioned Your Restaurant (if you were to read this)... ---

I just want you to know that I included you for a reason- good eating. If I enjoyed your food, perhaps my readers would be interested in your food as well, whether here in the Houston/Galveston area or for anyone who may be visiting the Houston/Galveston area.

There are still a number of places where I haven't yet eaten at that I would be interested in eating at. I only named as many as I could. There were some places I liked but couldn't remember too well the experience there. Some places were some I had visited only once and don't really recall any unique experiences or food from these places. Therefore, I elected not to discuss a few different places in my initial posting of this blog post.





If there are any other places I want to make mention to, I may update this blog post accordingly to add more favorites. Until next time, thank you for reading!

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Starting a Restaurant

When you make recipes and dishes, you feel you could service many more people, especially if you feel more people will enjoy your food. Those who feel their cooking can be enjoyed by more people often open restaurants and kitchens. When starting any business, you start a business with the intent of servicing others and treating them well. Starting a restaurant or diner is no different. Those who start their own restaurant are confident that their brand of food and cooking can serve many consumers. Long-time readers of "John's Blog Space" may have read my blog post on 24 Hour Restaurant Battle, whereas two teams open their own restaurant. They have a set budget and 24 hours to set everything up. The only help teams will get is a kitchen staff. Of course, the teams have to manage that staff.

When it comes to opening your own restaurant or diner or whatever, you trust that your food will please multiple consumers. This blog post concerns those who open their own restaurants, whether it's a small eatery or cafe all the way up to national (and even international) restaurant chains.

Before I Begin...

I mention restaurant, but this can mean any sort of eating place. This can mean restaurants, cafes, diners, ice cream places, candy stores, snow cone vendors, grills, etc.

Also, I have NO experience in preparing food. I am NOT any kind of cook! I can barely microwave food! Last thing of any kind I've cooked or prepared with a stove was either pizza or a grilled cheese sandwich back in 1998! So therefore... this is mostly a digest of info based solely on personal commentary.


So let's begin!

--- Starting a Restaurant: Why Do It? ---

^ from: www.arteuz.com - Establishing a restaurant or some other eatery takes a lot of dedication and effort.

Every now and then, people need to eat to fight off hunger, fill their bellies, or sometimes just eat something tasty and/or healthy. There are many eating venues dedicated to treating others' mouths with great food, tasty drinks, and indulgent desserts. If these reasons aren't good enough to want to start off in the food business and in making your own restaurant or eatery, I don't know what is. This deal goes back to a common theme expressed in my blog- offering a service to others and executing on all fronts with that service. Those who specialize in preparing and serving food and/or drinks want to be able to offer their flavor and skill to others.

So why start a restaurant or some other kind of business catering to food? Let me answer this question in a different way. Why did I start blogging? It was because I felt I could service people worldwide with my insight and commentary. Why did I set up a YouTube channel? It was because I felt the need to express myself in video as well as provide transparency in expressing ideas. So why do restauranteers do what they do? It is because they feel their cooking and other expertise is so good, that they feel their cooking can be enjoyed by a greater audience. Those who are this confident (or at least hopeful) start their own restaurants and diners and such. To everyone who loves preparing food, don't you feel like your food can be enjoyed by a greater audience than loved ones and a couple of friends?

The most important element of almost any craft is to make things with the ability of being distinctive and unique. Think about fast food restaurants, for instance. I LOVE chicken. Popeye's is one of my favorites for their delicious chicken as well as their great dirty rice. Their buttermilk biscuits are among some of the best biscuits of any fast food chain. Kentucky Fried Chicken has some great-tasting chicken as well. I have also loved their KFC Snackers back in my college days. Besides traditional chicken eateries, I am BIG on Chick-fil-a and their chicken. I sometimes just have their chicken sandwiches and even some of their chicken fillets. What was the point of mentioning these three fast food restaurants? Simple- if you want to be regarded highly in any craft you devote yourself to, always look to distinguish yourself from others.

--- Starting a Restaurant: Distinction ---

There are a number of different eating venues with different levels of specialization. Some people just have one unique location where they can properly serve their customers with quality food and service. Some are fortunate enough that their work is so good that restaurant chains and separate locations are opened across cities and across multiple regions. What constitutes a restaurant becoming so successful to even where chains are started? Distinction.

Some restaurants and eateries are distinctive for preparing certain dishes and items for people to eat. For example, a casual diner can serve hamburgers with big patties. A certain restaurant may be famous for its famous drinks. Much like how professional wrestlers have their own signature moves and finishing manuvers, restaurants and other eateries have their own signature treat to service to their customers. What famous food(s) and/or drink(s) can you offer in offering a lasting impression for your customers? Is there a certain dessert you can offer that is distinctively yours? Depending on your signature dishes, people may come back to your restaurant for these things and more. It's all about being distinctive in any craft, including food.





Are you enjoying your read so far? If you are not reading the full blog post and want to continue, please click on "Read More" to enjoy the rest of this blog post!

--- Starting a Restaurant: One or More Locations? ---

In any business or craft, your ability to be unique and offer something others will love lends itself to lots of demand. Interested parties will want to follow in your footsteps and take part in expanding your restaurant's appeal.

Multiple Locations.

So do you feel that your cooking can benefit a greater audience? You may choose to have just one primary restaurant that others can flock to for your cooking (even if they have to travel from afar), or you can try to set up multiple restaurants to try to establish your own empire. It takes responsbility to manage more than one restaurant. In addition, people have to be convinced it will do well in a certain location. Especially if trying to be a national or international chain, it would help to be in major markets. Or maybe you want to have a famous eatery unique to your people and location. That in itself is perfectly fine.

Here in the Houston area, we have local restaurants and eateries such as Kelley's Country Cooking (which my mother often jokingly calls "Big Food Kelley's") and Cheddar's Casual Cafe. Kelley's is all about down-home food. I usually have their chicken strips with country gravy. I usually have some of the chicken sandwiches from Cheddar's, mostly the World Class Chicken sandwich and the Hawaiian Chicken sandwich. My family and I have been to that specific Cheddar's ranging from casually eating out to certain special occasions, including the day I got my Associate's in the Arts back in 2008.

Multiple locations for eateries depend on one's restaurant being so good that more people should be able to enjoy the food offered. With more restaurants comes more responsibility in all of them preparing food and servicing others the right way. It also helps to have them all perform well without having see one location get shut down because of poor performance. I'd say it's more challenging having an international chain (or at least, restaurants with international locations, such as McDonald's) because you have to have chains doing well in your native nation as well as other nations doing well preparing such food.

Just One (or More) Locations.

Sometimes, though, it's best to be unique and just offer your fine cooking as a great local business. You can always be a quality eatery of some kind by offering to your local audience. You can even have a local eatery that has a few more locations across town or within the greater metropolitan area of your city. Especially if you offer good food and don't care much about trying to be a national (or even international) chain, you care more about knocking out other peoples' hunger than try to chase big money. Sometimes, being distinctive means offering food that is so good that they'll need to personally travel to one location for great and unique food. In other words... if you live in Seattle (for example) and want to enjoy great food even if you have to travel very far, and if you think it's worth the trip because of their great food, you'd be willing to travel to that restaurant even if it's in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Honolulu, Toronto, or wherever. Or maybe it is a great restaurant in a smaller city. If you're not thinking about making your own restaurant chain nationwide or internationally, and if you make and serve great food, getting people to visit around the nation and around the world only adds to the appeal of your restaurant.

If you can afford to do so, you may have one major restaurant also serve as a school. Here are two examples- the national chain, Olive Garden, has a school in Tuscany, Italy where students learn certain dishes. Another example is The Lady and Sons restaurant by Paula Deen in Savannah, Georgia, USA. Paula Deen has her own school within The Lady and Sons where people can learn to prepare her recipes as well as just being able to prepare food in general. It's perfectly fine to have a single restaurant as well as expand upon it.

One final note about having a single or major restaurant is that you are able to generate some traffic. People may know nothing about your city except that it has a great restaurant. This alone can help to bring people to your city. Imagine if you owned an eatery of some kind in Wichita, Kansas, USA; and people would be willing to travel internationally to visit and eat at your restaurant. This adds appeal to your restaurant and gives you some international appeal. Since I'm focused on American eateries, international means more than just Canada and Mexico- imagine people from Japan, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, South Africa, Pakistan... you name it, all visiting and eating (and hopefully enjoying) your single location. ULTIMATE swagger there in promoting your restaurant.


However you choose to play this deal, at least know that you have something to offer to many people. How far do you expand your audience? Do you feel it is best to offer your dishes and recipes to others in other locations in hopes other locations can prepare your dishes the right way? Or, do you feel that your food is so unique, that the best way to enjoy your food is to come on down to your restaurant? Responsibility is the key concept regardless of whatever decisions you make in making/expanding your restaurant.

--- Starting a Restaurant: Servicing the Masses ---

There is no greater responsibility of any eating venue than servicing the masses. It can be a person looking for a casual eat, someone celebrating a birthday, a couple on a date, a family gathering at a restaurant, a local non-professional sports team celebrating a big win or a championship, or whatever. You could even be welcoming famous people as well as political leaders. The responsibility of servicing the masses is critical depending on whom is being serviced. Just the notion that someone special is coming to your restaurant only adds to the level of importance of making sure your food and other items are of the highest quality. You have to perform great, and so does the crew who help make food.

Those who enjoy your restaurant will likely come back for your food and may even recommend others to visit your restaurant. Conversely, those who disliked your restaurant may not ever return and likely not recommend it to others. A boost in morale and motivation are up for grabs in these situations. Will you deliver or crack under pressure?

--- Starting a Restaurant: Catering ---

Catering involves taking your dishes out and about apart from the restaurant. Think of it more like taking your show out on the road. Responsibility reigns supreme here too since you are offering your dishes to others. You have to prepare food, drive out safely to the location, make sure the food is all in good eating condition, and stuff like that.

If any restaurant or chain caters to people in need, I kindly salute you. No person or group of people make me happy than those who give back to the community or to greater causes.





To everyone who started their own restaurant or are thinking of starting a restaurant of some kind, my best of luck goes out to all of you. We all need to be fed throughout the day. You all are among the ones who help make it possible. Many of us aren't afraid to pay a great deal just to feed our bellies. If you are of a catering service, your work is even more valued because you trust that you and your crew can prepare dishes and other items abroad outside of the kitchen. The key concept and word of this blog post is responsibility, because it takes responsibility to start and maintain any sort of business. If your job is in feeding people, it's best you make great decisions to help your cause. Do your absolute best in making and maintaining your restaurant. You may even win awards for your work if it is valued by a more discerning audience.

As I have mentioned before, I've mostly mentioned restaurants. However, this blog post can apply to any sort of eatery or any such place where food and drink items are prepared and sold for consumption. You may own an ice cream shop, a restaurant offering certain ethnic foods of some sort (like Indian food, for example), or even a buffet-type restaurant. Most of the material I've expressed pertains to you as well. There are likely different circumstances and responsibilities different from an average restaurant. Still, no one person or entity can start a business without the responsibilities of servicing a greater audience and servicing that audience with class and respect. Anyone can feed anyone; but only the truly devoted and focused can feed people with responsibility and focus.

A Quick Salute:

This blog post was semi-inspired by my blogging and online friend Gabirella of Principessa Gabriella. Feel free to drop by her blog by clicking on Principessa Gabriella.


Well, eat on, folks! :) And uh... thank you for reading!

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Dove Chocolates

The silky smooth taste of Dove chocolates romanticizes your mouth and its tastebuds like no other candy. After posting about Hershey's Bliss chocolates, I figured I wanted to cover Dove chocolates. Dove chocolates come in a variety of flavors. The ones that I am using in discussing this blog post are the Dark Chocolate Dove candies. Here is a look with a picture I've taken:


^ Dark Chocolate Doves. Each wrapper features a little message inside before you take the candy piece out of the wrapper.

These Dove dark chocolate candies have a bit more texture and satisfying taste than the Hershey's Bliss chocolates. Bliss and Dove are among the most luscious chocolate candies one can ever taste. The shell of Dove chocolates are a bit thicker than the Bliss chocolates.

If I had to choose between these two luscious chocolate candies, I somewhat favor Hershey's more than Dove. Maybe I've been so impartial to Hershey's more than I am with the Dove Chocolates (of the Mars brand). I do love both Bliss and Dove. Two very delicious and satisfying chocolate candies.


Learn more about Dove chocolates: www.dovechocolate.com.

You can get some Dove chocolates on Amazon by using this widget:




Thank you for reading! And by the way, happy St. Patrick's Day! :)

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Wine

I usually do not discuss certain things that I am not comfortable discussing in my blog. One of those is on alcoholic beverages. I do want to open the floor a bit to talk about wine. I don't drink alcoholic beverages. If was to admit to something I would drink, however, it would be wine. I am not any kind of expert on any alcoholic beverage of any kind. Therefore, do not expect any professional analysis or commentary on wine from me. This blog entry is about wine. I'm about ready to pop the cork on another blog post of mine!

BEFORE I BEGIN...

Just so you know... I am honestly concerned doing a blog post on a topic like this. "Anything and everything that crosses my mind" is what I live by in picking topics for my blog. Then too, I limited some of the material in my go-go dancing blog entry (for example) because most of it wasn't suitable for a world audience. Despite my concerns, I must keep blogging and providing many topics for people to read about.

Because this blog post concerns a certain topic that is not suitable for all audiences (alcoholic beverages), I will provide a Jump Break to keep my blog as world-friendly as possible. You are reading at your own risk if you are not of legal age. Please click "Read More" if you are not reading this full blog post and are of legal age.

--- Wine in General ---

I've had only two kinds of wine- white wine (my favorite) and red wine. One time, my brother took me to an Indian cuisine restaurant. We had red wine with the food we had. My brother told me to swish around the red wine in my mouth to get rid of some of the lingering taste from the food.

There is just something to wine that makes it attractive to drink. Wine is a classy beverage with a sweet taste. I am used to white wine for the few times I've had wine before.

Health Benefits of Wine.

Can an alcoholic beverage like wine offer health benefits? In moderation, wine can actually help to reduce tension and anxiety. Moderation in drinking red wine regularly can lead to lower risk of coronary disease and certain cancers. Wine can help the elderly retain their cognitive functions. Light to moderate wine consumption also lowers the risk of peptic ulcers. The main factor in wine's health benefits are mostly upon healthy people who are regular drinkers of wine.

So when considering wine and health, drink wine regularly and in moderation. To learn more about the health benefits of wine, please visit my source for this portion at "Wine and Health" at www.winepros.org.

Making Your Own Wine.

I wouldn't think of making my own wine if I ever wanted to consider making wine. If you want to make your own wine, one attractive way to do so in the United States is to take part in Fresno State Winery. You can actually learn how to make your own wine by attending Fresno State and getting into their winery program. Of course, northern California is often referred to as Wine Country.

--- Wines of the World ---

Time to go on a world tour of wine. This is mostly a digest of places that make wine rather than specific brands of wine. I will not mention any specific wine makers in this blog post. If anything, I will just mention one maker and move on. All material is provided for educational purposes.

American Wine.

The biggest concentration of wine in the United States is mostly in northern California. In fact, I mentioned you could enroll at Fresno State University to take part in the Fresno State Winery. One of the most popular locations for wine making in NorCal is Napa Valley. Many fresh grapes and such are grown in northern California to make such savory wines. In fact, the states of California, Oregon, and Washington are some of the biggest in producing wine. Only the state of New York is the only non-West Coast state famous for its wines.

Chilean Wine.

Chile has a vast variety of vineyards. According to a YouTube video I saw released in 2009, Chile has been seen as a victim of its own success with overproduction of grapes.

Argentinian Wine.

The Argentinians are somewhat new to the wine industry. They hope to be one of the premier countries for wine making. The biggest winery in Argentina is Trapiche Winery with the Malbec one being their most popular wine. Perhaps the Napa Valley of Argentina is Mendoza, Argentina.

French Wine.

Bordeaux, France is often considered the Wine Capital of the World. There are many regions across France that are great wine-producing regions besides the western France city of Bordeaux. Other wine regions in France besides Bordeaux include the following: Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne, Côtes du Rhône, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire Valley, Provence, Corsica, and South West.

Italian Wine.

The only other country I know best for wine is Italy. Even if you haven't been to an Olive Garden restaurant, you at least have to know that Italy loves their wine about as much as the French do. Italy is obviously as important a country in the wine industry as France (or any other big market wine nation). The only one that immediately comes to mind for me is Tuscany (since I mentioned Olive Garden).

Spanish Wine.

I honestly know very little about Spain being a wine industry capital. Spain is a beautiful country with many beautiful cities. I just know France and Italy better in wine than I do Spain. Some of Spain's regions for wine includes (but is not limited to) the autonomous community of Andalusia, La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Catalonia among many others.

German Wine.

Honestly, I know Germany better for beer than wine. Germany has 13 wine-making regions. Riesling is one of their most popular wines.

South African Wine.

It is generally southwestern South Africa that is the biggest wine maker not only in South Africa, but Africa in general. The Western Cape is responsible for most of the wine making and grape growing in South Africa. There are six major regions contributing to the production of wine in South Africa: Klein Karoo, Breede River Valley, Overberg, Cape Point, Coastal Region, and the Olifants River Valley.

Japanese Wine.

I only know Japan for sake as far as wine is concerned. Rice and water are the main ingredients of sake. Two of the largest regions for wine in Japan are Hokkaido and Yamanashi Prefecture. Yamanashi Prefecture grows its own grapes. Hyogo Prefecture (where Kobe is) has lots of independent wineries. Of Japan's prefectures, and including Hokkaido and Yamanashi Prefectures, about eleven Prefectures in Japan have wineries.

Australian Wine.

Believe it or not, Australia is the fourth-largest producer of wine in the world. One of the largest wineries in Australia is Yalumba. One of Australia's largest regions for wine is the Barossa Valley. Of all Australian States, the majority of all wine regions are either in New South Wales (Riverina in NSW is the largest-size region) or in Victoria. There are no wine regions (or no significant ones to my knowledge) in Northern Territory or Tasmania.

New Zealand Wine.

The largest producer of wine in the South Pacific (excluding Australia) is New Zealand. There are about nine wine regions in New Zealand; five of them on the north island and four on the south island. One of their finest wines is New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Pinot Noir is also popular in New Zealand.


No matter where in the world you are, you can be assured that you'll have some wine to enjoy from various countries.





That concludes this blog post for the most part. If you want to learn more about various wines around the world, I can help you with some websites. Feel free to visit these links to learn more about certain varieties of wine worldwide. This section does not necessarily contain actual wineries themselves. Use these links to find wineries worldwide or to learn more about wines of various nations. I may add more links in future edits to keep this blog post fresh.

REMEMBER: You must be of legal age to view or interact with most of these sites.

--- Wine Links and Resources Online ---

IMPORTANT NOTE: You must be at least 18 years of age to view most of these links.


--- Wines of the World: General and Tours ---
These are non-regional sites you can use to learn more about wine, shop for wine online, and other things.

* the Wine Web - find wines from around the world from major wine producing nations.
* Wine-Searcher.com - search the Internet for various wines.
* Internet Wine Guide - overwhelming amount of wine resources online in one site.
* Lisa Shea's WineIntro - all the basics on wine and champagne with other resources are available here.

Wine Tours.

* Worldwide Wine Tours - plan a wine tour in one of many different locations!



--- Wines of the World ---
Region-by-region wines of the world. Remember- no links to actual wines or wineries are be featured here.

Wine: North America and South America.

* Napa Valley (wineries link)
* Fresno State Winery (America's only commercial winery on a college campus)
* All American Wineries
* Winery Locator by State (a directory of wineries in every US state! The District of Columbia has no wineries.)
* AmericanWinery.com
* American Wineries
* Wine Country - various resources on American wines including tours and blogs.
* WineAmerica - The Voice of America's Wineries
* Wines of Canada - learn more about Canada's wine industry.
* Wines of Chile - learn more about Chilean wine and find Chilean wineries.
* Wines of Argentina - other languages available
* Argentine Wines - learn more about wines of Argentina's Mendoza region.

Wine: Europe.

* Wineries of the United Kingdom on internetwineguide.com
* English Wine Producers - learn more about English wine.
* French wineries on wine-searcher.com
* Italy and Wine - learn more about Italy and its wines and wineries. Wine tours also can be planned here.
* Spanish Wineries - the wines of Spain are features here.
* German wineries on wine-searcher.com
* European Wineries - a directory of all wineries in Europe, including regions and countries I didn't mention in this blog post.

Wine: Africa.

* South African Wine Information - portal of information on South African wine.

Wine: Asia.

* Asian Wine Regions - besides Japan, find wine from other Asian nations.
* Wine of Japan | Ultra-Premium Sake
* Japanese wineries on internetwineguide.com

Wine: Oceania and the South Pacific.

* Australian Wines of Distinction
* Find a Winery - Australia - map-based directory of Australian wineries
* Wines of New Zealand
* NZ Wine - learn more about New Zealand's wines and wine industry.

(I tried to see if any South Pacific nations make wine, but Australia and New Zealand are the only significant ones in this international region.)




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Giada de Laurentiis

(UPDATED: February 27, 2012)

If you watch Food Network, you might have heard of Italian-American goddess Giada de Laurentiis. The chef star born in Rome, Italy has one of the silkiest voices and is an award-winning TV personality on Food Network. I was inspired to blog about Giada de Laurentiis as I saw her on the latest edition of Redbook Magazine. Most of you know that I am always driven by inspiration. So being the inspired fellow that I am, this blog is about the lovely lady known as Giada de Laurentiis.

(information provided for educational purposes; some information taken from Wikipedia)

--- Giada de Laurentiis ---

^ from: dailymoxie.com - Italian-American cooking goddess Giada de Laurentiis.

I first started watching "Giada at Home" some time back in 2010. I wanted to see just what the UCLA graduate (in Social Anthropology) brings to cooking. She founded her catering service called GDL Foods. The first thing I've grown to love about Giada was how beautiful and silky her voice is. She speaks with professionalism and confidence with the meals she prepares or will prepare. I may also have to add her to my "Sweet Petite!" blog post because according to the Wikipedia entry I read on Giada, she is "just under five-foot-two." So to all of my petite ladies out there, here's another petite to be proud of! :)

She has absolutely gorgeous looks from her sweet smile to her nearly flawless face and hair. Giada's specialty is Italian cooking. And for someone who entered her 40s years old (born August 22, 1970), she looks fabulous! In fact, I think she looks in her mid-20s at best. Giada is just one of the most gorgeous women here in the United States.

"Giada at Home."

When you watch an installment of "Giada at Home," Giada de Laurentiis usually has a certain scenario going on (like an upcoming party, for example) and prepares some meals to go with the occasion. Before the intro is a look at some of the meals she will prepare along with a brief introduction to what the meals entail. Her brief description of each prepared meal is spoken with professionalism and with a way to draw you into how delicious the meal is.

Simply put, Giada de Laurentiis has earned the accolades for her show that she has received. I also like the opening song to "Giada at Home."

Here is a preview of "Giada at Home." Here, she prepares sauteed shrimp cocktail. You get to see her prepare food as well as hear how silky and sweet her voice is. This is a demonstration of "Giada at Home" below:


^ courtesy of FoodNetworkTV on YouTube

"Everyday Italian."

Giada's newest show on Food Network is called "Everyday Italian." Here is a demonstration of what "Everyday Italian" is like. She prepares something I never even known exists- chocolate pizza. Check it out:


^ courtesy of FoodNetworkTV on YouTube


You now have an idea on her cooking and her style. "Giada at Home" and "Everyday Italian" demonstrate both her personality and her expertise in preparing her recipes to viewers.

--- What I Would Tell Giada de Laurentiis (if she were to read this) ---

Keep up the great work in all of your TV and non-TV work. You are a beautiful lady in looks and in personality.

Would I Like to Meet Giada (if given the chance)?

You bet. Absolutely. I'd want to meet her (as far as food personalities) as much as I would like to meet Paula Deen or Aarti Sequeira.





If you're a fan of Giada de Laurentiis, here are some sites you can visit to learn more about this Italian goddess:

• Giada de Laurentiis official page
• Giada de Laurentiis' Facebook fan page
• Follow Giada de Laurentiis on Twitter (@GDELAURENTIIS)!
• Giada de Laurentiis bio on FoodNetwork.com
• "Everyday Italian" on Food Network
• Get Giada's recipes!/Get Giada's recipes (Alternative Site)!

(More material may be provided in future edits.)


Thank you for reading!

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Fruit Smoothies

Want a delicious way to drink? Try fruit smoothies! Fruit smoothies are usually a blend of multiple fruits blended together to make one delicious drink. For example, you have things like a strawberry banana smoothie. Not only are they a way to beat the heat, but they can be delicious and tasty to drink. You have real purity when you have certain bits of the blended fruits that you can taste in addition to the rest of the smoothie itself. For example, I only drink orange juice that doesn't have pulp, but having pulp in the orange juice shows it was made with real oranges and is authentic. But back to smoothies.

I personally like a strawberry and banana fruit smoothie. Here's an example below:


^ from: blenditall.com - a strawberry banana fruit smoothie. Delicious, right?

Where can you get fruit smoothies? One of the best places to find fruit smoothies are usually at shopping centers and malls (like Thirsty's). McDonald's recently came along with their own fruit smoothies. Or if you're discontent with buying fruit smoothies, you can always make your own! Just make sure you have everything from fruits (and other items) to make your own smoothies at home (or for your business, if you own a small business that makes and sells fruit smoothies). The resources below include links to fruit smoothie recipes. And if you shop on Amazon, I'll include a widget linking you to blenders in case you want to buy a blender for your house or business. Consider these as my way of thanking you for reading my blog entry on fruit smoothies!

Fruit Smoothie Resources...

(more resources and items may be added in future edits)

Hover the cursor over the links for extra info on each link. Be warned that while this thread was about fruit smoothies, these links also include recipes for other smoothies (such as alcoholic and dessert smoothies):
* Smoothie Web
* flowercarole.com Smoothie Recipes
* smoothies on allrecipes.com
* Smootie-recipes.com
* LifestyleSmoothies.com

You'll need a blender to make quality fruit smoothies. Don't have a blender? Shop for some on Amazon with this widget:








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Pocky

Pocky! Japan's highly popular snack from Glico is none other than Pocky. Imagine eating thin biscuit sticks with most of it covered with some cream. In other words, it's kind of like eating cookies that have the bottom of them covered in chocolate. Earlier today, I had a chance to get and sample Pocky. The Pocky that I got has cream chocolate covered on the buscuit sticks. I also saw a version that had strawberry cream. So I'll be here to chat about what Pocky is like.

Let's see some pictures (my own pictures):


^ Pocky... before you open the box up.


^ Pocky box, and the pack Pocky comes in.


^ A stick of chocolate-flavored Pocky on a paper tissue.

When I picked up and ate a Pocky stick, I could taste the creamy chocolate on one side of the Pocky stick. The Pocky stick has little or no flavor when you're done with the covered part of the Pocky stick. It tastes pretty good. The sticks are narrow while still having some nice flavor with the creamed parts. I may want to get these if I one day live in or go visit Japan. You get somewhere between 10 to 15 sticks of Pocky in the box and in the pack.





So if you see a box of Pocky and are curious to try it out, go buy a box of Pocky and give yourself a little taste of Japan! Thanks for reading my blog entry on Pocky! Want to buy some Pocky on Amazon? Take a look at this widget and get yourself some Pocky! :)




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Aarti Sequeira

(UPDATED on February 8, 2011 with three YouTube videos.)

Aarti Sequeira is the season 6 winner of "The Next Food Network Star." The (born Aug. 19, 1978)-year old native of Mumbai, India is becoming as much an inspiration to me as Paula Deen. She is super-cute in looks as well as in personality. She speaks beautifully as well. Her food inspiration and in going from nobody to somebody is an intriguing one. Aarti likes to apply an Indian twist to classic dishes.

This blog entry concerns the former CNN producer turned Food Network Star.

--- Aarti Sequeira ---

Let's set the mood with a picture of the very cute lady from India:

^ from: slashfood.com, courtesy of Food Network - Aarti Sequeira... flower in hair, beautiful smile, and all.

Aarti Sequeira gained some popularity prior to the Food Network competition by hosting an online cooking variety show called "Aarti Paarti." She introduced her recipes as well as have a few variety show aspects. According to an interview she did for Entertainment Weekly, her plans to have her variety aspect of her show is on hold "for now." Aarti was once a producer for CNN for multiple years before moving on to being the Food Network star she is today. She's very educated, having gone to multiple schools to specialize in multiple fields. One of them included The New School of Cooking in California, where she'd get her professional degree in cooking. Besides these things in this paragraph, I don't know as much about her as I would like to.

Newfound Admiration.

Aarti Sequeira really touched my heart the way I've seen her, but even more so learning of her story. I was watching a YouTube video from CNN's YouTube channel. Aarti talked about not being sure what to do with her life. She was blogging as well as making recipes. She then would start her own online cooking variety show (her past videos can still be viewed on YouTube). Think about it- living on unemployment checks, blogging, going to cooking school and making videos on her food dishes. This was her craft and her passion. How did it end up when she was discovered and was getting paid for her work? She'd become a food star. Aarti Sequeira is proof positive that if you think blogging and posting a bunch of stuff online will get you nowhere, you'd be dead wrong. This lady applies her craft and her passion very well and has resulted in her being the host of her own cooking show. So to all of my readers and subscribers... DREAMS DO COME TRUE! Keep doing what you love because your big break may one day come. Maybe you will be as recognized and regarded quite like Aarti Sequeira.

What I love most about Aarti Sequeira is her passion and determination. For someone who hasn't seen a single episode of "The Next Food Network Star," I've seen a woman who works extremely hard to not disappoint. I see a very cute lady who has love and passion of expressing her talent and making material that people will love. In addition, I see someone who always works to impress her audience and fears disappointing anyone. She kind of reminds me of myself at times. Aarti, then, seems to be very sweet and committed to excellence. That is why I have become a fan of hers. She is as much an inspiration to me as Paula Deen (in terms of people in the food industry).

Aarti Style.

True to her Indian roots, Aarti Sequeira has some nice Hindu style. She mostly wears American-style clothes on the set of Aarti Party as well as some more traditional Indian wear at times. She blossoms with beauty with a flower in her hair. In addition to a flower, her beauty blossoms more when she smiles and speaks with passion and confidence.

I honestly wish I could watch "Aarti Party" more often to see what she really brings to the table (no pun intended) in making and preparing food. Because I'm not any kind of cook or good with any food that isn't microwavable, I cannot comment on how effective her recipes are. Then again... have I ever said this is a blog entry about her cooking?

--- What I Would Tell Aarti Sequeira (If She Were to Read This) ---

Here are some videos previewing the beautiful Aarti Sequeira...

The first one introduces you to Aarti:


And this video was a TV spot on the Food Network introducing you to Aarti Party:


This video below is a preview of "Aarti Party" on the Food Network. Here, she prepares what she calls a Sloppy Bombay Joe:



Isn't Aarti cute? :)

--- What I Would Tell Aarti Sequeira (If She Were to Read This) ---

Hello, Aarti! I am mostly a fan of yours because of your inspiration and what you bring to your field of study. Perhaps the fact that you did not know what direction your life was heading, yet still made something of yourself by blogging and doing this online cooking variety show, you represent not only everyone who has ambition, but everyone who tries to do ANYTHING to potentially have a brighter future. You have been discovered for your fine work. Now that you've won The Next Food Network Star, you've inspired many people who know your story and know about your unrelenting passion to deliver in your field of study. I even imagine if I will ever get a big break of my own for my blogging and YouTube work. If I ever become any kind of star in any field of study, most of my work will be because of you, Aarti. Your inspiration and determination have really struck a chord in me.

If anything, following your passion and excelling in your craft can lead to bigger and better things. This has defined you and has lead you to become this new Food Network star. Your success, however, is mostly predicated by the many other people who were sold on your vision and your passion. Congratulations on this honor. I am very much passionate and respectful of your work.

Speaking of passion, you kind of remind me of myself in trying to impress people, while avoiding the feeling of failure. You have an amazing heart and endless determination- just like myself. We both tend to have a passion to entertain and impress our respective audiences. We feel terrible if we disappoint in our crafts. Aarti, you are a great inspiration to me. Thank you for your inspiration.

Would I want to meet Aarti Sequeira (if given the chance)?

Definitely. Especially considering that she went from blogging and YouTube to ultimately become a star. That alone is worth respect.





This concludes my blog entry on the delightful and beautiful Aarti Sequeira. For more information on the Food Network star, I have some links for you to check out:

• Aarti Sequeira's Bio on Food Network (includes a full bio if you click on "Read Full Bio")
• Aarti Sequeira's blog
• Aarti's former blog (in case you're interested; before moving on to Wordpress)
• Aarti's past YouTube videos
• Entertainment Weekly interview with Aarti Sequeira

• Aarti Sequeira's Facebook Fan Page
• Follow Aarti Sequeira on Twitter


And remember- as Aarti Sequeira would say: "Eat. Giggle. Repeat."

Thank you for reading!

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